The Untitled Project
by Eyes-of-Pearl
Summary: The Machine generates the next number for Ariadne which introduces Reese and Finch into a whole different level of crime.  X-over between Inception & Person of Interest.
1. Prologue

_The Untitled Project_

**Rating**: PG

**Disclaimer**: Inception and Person of Interest belong to their respective owners.

**Summary**: The Machine generates the next number for Ariadne which introduces Reese and Finch into a whole different level of crime. A crossover between Inception & Person of Interest.

**Author's Note**: I run into this problem when I do crossovers because fans of _Inception_ and _Person of Interest_ may not be mutually exclusive. Hence with the prologue, I try to set up the premise for both fandoms, so readers will be relatively on the same page. I do apologize in advance if I lose any of you but I do try to be as encompassing as possible without being too spoilery.

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><p><em>Prologue: One's True Mistress<em>

After the Fischer job, Ariadne settled back in France to finish her studies. For all intents and purpose, she had the financial means to do without an actual degree, but she knew that having it would lend her credibility in the long term. Besides she enjoyed learning, and despite her hectic school schedule and deadlines, it gave her a direction. So from École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris Belleville, she learned to redefine romanticism using lines and shapes, to articulate a personal style in placement and shadowing. Theory and technique found their place. But, with the knowledge came the realization that nobody warned her of the transition between the unbridled freedom that came with creating in the dreamscape and the respected confines of drawing on two dimensional paper.

She confessed to the man who first introduced her to the world of dream sharing. Professor Miles expressed caution, "Don't be like your namesake, Ariadne and fall so quickly for a 'Thesus.' I made that mistake once, my dear and don't intend to make it a second time. The world, _this_ world holds endless possibilities. How much of it have you seen and truly experience? I concur that you did one job that opened many doors but do yourself know of your true potential as an architect?"

The both knew that Miles was referring to Mal and Dominic Cobb. Ariadne had the front row seats to the sordid melodrama that was Cobb's subconscious. There were nights that she still felt the knife driving into her core.

"You see, Ariadne, the true mistress of our existence isn't creation but time"

.**incpt**

It was a tumultuous start to their arrangement. An offer was made and then promptly declined until the stakes were raised, eventually a compromise of sorts was reached between a reclusive millionaire and an ex soldier. The former, Mr. Finch, built a Machine for the government to prevent future 9/11-type crimes. The Machine was designed to listen on phones calls, emails, video surveillance etc and then sorting the data into two categories: relevant and irrelevant. The government was more concerned with the information linked to crimes that could cause mass casualties.

Those details that were deemed "irrelevant" were deleted every night, and so Finch built himself a backdoor to the system. From the irrelevant list, the Machine would generate a social security number of a person who was connected to future crime. However, the catch was that the program did not have the capacity to differentiate whether the person was a victim, perpetrator or a witness to a crime. The job fell to John Reese, a former CIA agent hired by Finch to stop whatever nefarious plot that was associated with those nine digits. The notion seemed ludicrous: that two people who were presumed dead by the rest of the world, had the knowledge and resources to prevent crimes before they happened.

But the reality was that the wheels had already been set in motion, the numbers would only keep coming. In the words of Finch to Reese from earliest stage of their relationship, "Knowledge is not my problem. Doing something with that knowledge is where you come in."

But Finch did not know all; the Machine saw _almost_ everything. At the end of the day, Reese was only one man who was working with a finite set of information with a blend of instincts and skills.

One day, the Machine will spit out a number that will irrevocably be the catalyst for change. Though the day would begin like any other with some variation of the following dialogue. Finch shall prompt, "Mr. Reese, the Machine has given us another number."

To which Reese would answer, "And who is it, Finch?"

"It is for an Ariadne Chase, an architect for Mailloux & Kendal."

.**poi**

It seemed that Miles was correct - time was one's true mistress and according to the Machine, it was about to run out for Ariadne.

_End of Prologue_


	2. Chapter 1

_The Untitled Project_

**Rating**: PG

**Disclaimer**: Inception and Person of Interest belong to their respective owners.

**Summary**: The Machine generates the next number for Ariadne which introduces Reese and Finch into a whole different level of crime. A crossover between Inception & Person of Interest.

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><p><em>Chapter 1: Assemble the Players<br>_

"Ok Finch, what can you tell me about Ariadne Chase?"

Setting down two coffee cups on the table, Reese took the proffered manila folder from his employer's hand. He did a cursory glance at the photograph that was attached, cataloging the physical features of the brunette architect before raising a questioning brow at his still silent partner.

To an observer, there would be very few clues that would implicate an association between the two men. Behind the bespectacled eyes, Harold Finch appeared calm. His gait though hindered by a visible limp, was sharp and unyielding. The unrelenting rigidity in his posture lend an air of authority and strength. He spoke with a certain crispness that was fit for courtrooms but by his own choosing, he sided with anonymity and privacy that was afforded to him by his wealth. But, Finch would never volunteer the reasons why and Reese whose job description included categorizing what was said and seen with those that weren't, suspected that guilt was part of the reason.

For the sake of their working relationship, Reese was willing to table any questions until he did some of his own research

"So any specifics?"

"Tell me, Mr. Reese, what is your initial assessment of Ms. Chase?"

"I thought knowledge was your forte, Finch."

"Please Mr. Reese, humor me."

They did this sometimes, the verbal repartee. It was a curious hobby considering they were both men who were not forthcoming. "Well since you ask so nicely."

Finch leaned back in his chair in a gesture to indicate that Reese currently held the floor. Picking the unopened cup of coffee that Reese set down earlier, he studied the man in front of him.

On paper, Reese was an ex government official and military official, trained to kill, infiltrate, gather intel all in the name of national security by any means necessary. That bit of employment history meant that he was quite adept at blending in and out of crowds, and leaving no traces of his whereabouts. As such, Reese was able to effectively and efficiently make himself disappeared off the grid. The day that happened was the same day that the authorities closed the report on Jessica Campeau. The official word said that she was killed in a car-jacking gone wrong. But from Finches' research, he knew that Reese tried to investigate the murder only to find that all traces of her were wiped clean by the very government that he was serving.

Part of the appeal of John Reese and also part of the reason that Finch chose him specifically for the job, was the air of wounded romanticism and granite authenticity which surrounded the former agent. It also helped that Reese had just enough persuasiveness and creativity to get out of most unfortunate situations. Needless to say, Reese was anything but black and white and Finch would admit that they have certainly evolved from their first meeting between a homeless man and a millionaire.

"She is young, but she must have a rather impressive portfolio in order to make it in her field. For that, she must be driven to pull in the late nights, and hardworking to not let herself get pushed around by the 'big boys.' She has a certain confidence about herself to come from the city of lights to the city that never sleeps but it is also an opportunity to lose oneself. So, Finch, am I cold or am I warm?"

"Mr. Reese, I can see that you are up to speed with your psychological profiling." With series of keystrokes, he pulled the current case file on Ariadne Chase.

"Ms. Chase is the newest architect recruited by Mailloux & Kendal. She is twenty-six, a recent graduate of École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris_Belleville, a prestige architectural school in France. As you have already eluded, she came highly recommended but her work speaks for themselves."

"Any details on friends? Coworkers? Boyfriend?"

"Foster child to a Denise and Marc Chase, from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada. No siblings. No boyfriend either as far I can tell. As for the current place of employment, it appeared that it was founded by two brothers, Lucas and Kendal Mailloux as a multi-platform consulting firm. There are six other engineers, three architects and various office staff. So far, none of them have committed any serious crimes besides a few parking tickets and poor credit ratings."

"Well if there is one thing I've learned, nothing is what it seems. I guess I have to start subscribing to the Architectural Digest."

"And I'll see what else I can dig up about Ms. Chase."

"Oh Finch, if you are going to work all night, be sure to fit in some time to exercise."

**.poi**

The time nearing her graduation, Ariadne felt a sense of loss that most students felt as they approached the end of their academic career. The question at the forefront was "Now what?"

Years of slaving through graduate studies, making deadlines and handing in projects amounted to one thing: getting a degree. Now the goal was within reached came the task of finding a job and paying off debts. The latter wasn't really a problem although Ariadne certainly did not want to advertise the true nature of her "internship placement."

The fallout from the inception plot was still to be determined. Although the team had successfully invaded the mind of Robert Fischer and planted the idea that he should dissolve his late father's multi-dollar empire, that very act had not been committed yet. There had been speculation after the funeral of Maurice Fischer and the subsequent replacement of Peter Browning, Robert's godfather and long time mentor. But the final thread has yet to be sewn on Robert's fate and Ariadne felt this restlessness digging beneath her skin.

At a crossroads, she found herself at a loss without anyone to turn to. Suddenly, it seemed that her peers were getting married or engaged, settling down in various parts of the world. None of her former classmates could fully comprehend the gravity of her situation. Professor Miles tried to steer her down a path of neutrality but without a concrete guidebook on how to get there.

France had lost her luster after spending years of schooling there, so Ariadne decided to backpack through obscure parts of Europe over a two month period. She stayed away from tourist attractions and instead took her sketchbook and drew renditions of cobbled pathways and unspoiled countryside. She chose to stay in rundown hostels over hotels and tried her hand at Eastern European languages liked Romanian and Serbian. Then she made way back to Canada, to the quaint but loving home of her foster parents. They attributed her disenchantment with the real world to the lack of appealing job prospects, so they encouraged her freedom to explore. So, Ariadne did a second trip and this time, decided to drive across the country on the Trans-Canada Highway.

And, it was in Alberta amongst the Canadian Rockies, she got the call from New York that Mailloux and Kendal were offering her a position. And if she believed in a fate, an ironic notion from an architect who shared a name with a Greek myth, she would say that it was meant to be. Because as she was staring at the stark barren beauty that was the Fortress, she was quite literally at the edge of precipice while making a career- and life-changing decision to accept the offer.

It was how she found herself in New York three weeks later.

_End of Chapter 1_

AN: 1) I don't really intend for there to be slashy undertones - more of a mutual respect between Reese and Finch. 2) École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris Belleville is an actual school in France. 3) Ellen Page, the actress who plays Ariadne in the film is actually from Nova Scotia, Canada. 4) The Trans-Canada Highway does in fact exists. 5) Parts of Inception was filmed on location in the Canadian Rockies.


	3. Chapter 2

_The Untitled Project_

**Rating**: PG

**Disclaimer**: Inception and Person of Interest belong to their respective owners.

**Summary**: The Machine generates the next number for Ariadne which introduces Reese and Finch into a whole different level of crime. A crossover between Inception & Person of Interest.

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><p><em>Chapter 2: Follow the Red Thread<em>

For Reese, breaking into loft of Ariadne Chase proved to be exceeding annoying - not what he would expect from a recent Architectural graduate. "I'm going need a hand in deactivating her security system here Finch. And while you are at it, can you cut off the motion sensor and the security feed?"

"And you call me paranoid, Mr. Reese. I see that Ms. Chase is rather prepared."

"That's because you are paranoid, Finch and speaking from experience, this is no ordinary setup."

"You think that she has already been targeted and somebody else is running the surveillance?"

"Too early to speculate at this point, Finch. Some research has to be done to find out who has both the financial and technical means to put together a system like this."

Security aside, the arrangement inside the loft was more stereotypical of a student, akin to an organized chaos. Pairs of heels, Converse, and leather boots made piles by the door. Scarves of different textures and colours were draped on a hat-hanger. Reese bypassed these to a nearby worktable that was covered by paraphernalia. He flipped through drawings of mazes and optical illusions in amongst blueprints for skyscrapers and furnished rooms. He was no expert in interior design, but the talent was evident. What caught his attention were also printouts from various news sources on the Fischer empire.

"Finch, can you run a search on Maurice and Robert Fischer, see if you can link Ariadne to either of them?"

"I'll do my best, Mr. Reese but I will advise that you get out there within the next five minutes because it seems that Ms. Chase is returning home early."

**.poi**

After work hours, Ariadne tried to find her niche outside of anything art-related. Though she had a professional relationship with her colleagues, it was simply that. Because of her young features, people would often dismiss her upon first impressions. At this point in her life, being the youngest in the group, Ariadne was used to being underestimated. It was her primary motivator. Not long that, many of coworkers were either married or in committed relationship. The couple of guys that didn't fit into either of those categories were either too old for her or had different taste in gender.

So, she found herself signing up for kick-boxing classes. There were several reasons for this – one was to really give her family a piece of mind. They were worried that being a single girl in a NYC would attract lots of unwanted attention. It was also rather removed from architecture. The other was more along the same vein for personal protection against whatever potential threat that was out there in the dreamscaping world as a result of her involvement. Whatever the reason, kick-boxing was just a good way for her to de-stress and spend time away from the office and the four walls of her loft.

**.incpt**

Mr. Crane sat waiting at the foyer of Mailloux & Kendal waiting to be seen by Ms. Ariadne Chase. The receptionist, Connie was quite solicitous. "Is there anything that I can get for you, Mr. Crane?"

"No, you have been most helpful and I can assure that it is no trouble. I am at Ms Chase's leisure."

A beep from Mr. Crane's cellphone prevented further conversation. "Hello."

"Finch?"

"Ah, I am just about to meet with the architect to go over some potential designs and here, she is now. I'll touch base soon. Bye."

With that, Finch / Crane hanged up on Reese and redirected his attention to Ariadne. She came forward with one hand extended, "You must be Mr. Crane. I do apologize for the wait, just had to finish up a phone call."

"No trouble at all, Ms. Chase." Shaking hands with the brunette, Finch was impressed by the sound handshake and followed the girl to her worktable.

"I understand that you would like to furnish your loft in Manhattan. Do you have some idea as to what you hope to see in it, Mr. Crane?"

"Frankly, I purchased the property hoping to use it as a mean of escape. Right now, it's a raw space with big concrete pillars, plastered ceilings and industrial lighting. I'll leave for you create something for me that is contemporary, minimalist and offers me a sense of privacy."

"You understand that I am an architect and not an interior designer but as such, I do believe that you are entrusting me with a blank canvas to simply create. For that, I thank you."

"You will find that I am an undemanding client, Ms. Chase and costs is of no concern to me. I am quite accessible, so do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. I'll leave you with my contact information."

"Thank you, Mr. Crane and here is my cell phone. I look forward to doing business with you."

"Likewise, Ms. Chase."

**.poi**

End of Chapter 2

Author's Note: So yes, I purposely chose the last name, "Crane." Just continuing on using bird names for Finch's aliases :P_  
><em>


	4. Chapter 3

_The Untitled Project_

**Rating**: PG

**Disclaimer**: Inception and Person of Interest belong to their respective owners.

**Summary**: The Machine generates the next number for Ariadne which introduces Reese and Finch into a whole different level of crime. A crossover between Inception & Person of Interest.

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><p><em>Chapter 3: Where the Lines Intercept<br>_

Ariadne did not follow a set routine in her day to day life; Reese would know considering he had been tracking her. By ten, she would be at the office, carrying a beverage from Starbucks and a pastry. Subway was her main mode of transportation but she didn't get off at the same stop all the time, either the one before or after and then walking part of the way. She frequented different take out establishments but didn't favour one or the other. Sometimes, she would go out for drinks with her colleagues but only on a casual basis. Several times a week, she visited the gym for kick-boxing classes.

"She's doing everything to not attract attention to herself, Finch. For one, look at her security system. Somehow she managed to contract one of the most discrete security firms in all of NYC to safeguard her loft. That is not an expense that a recent grad to be able to afford up front."

"Yes I can see that Mr. Reese. I've looked into her financial records. On the surface, she has an account balance from somebody who is just starting out from graduation – student loans, several running credit cards, and making monthly rent payments. She has an outstanding student loan but she is making sufficient payments on them.

"But below the surface?"

"Either she has a very generous benefactor or she is hiding something."

"The answer to that will give us a clue as to why the Machine gave us her number because as it stands she has no obvious enemies and unless, she is going to hurt somebody in her kick-boxing class."

"There is more, Mr. Reese. I looked into Ms. Chase's academic records while she was in France – solid grades, well-liked by her peers and the professors. There was one semester where she dropped all her classes and only enrolled in one."

"How is that significant?"

"You asked me to look for a link between Ms. Chase and the Fischer empire. According to official records, she was enrolled on an internship during the first part of the semester. It was largely working from home, but I ran her photograph through face recognition software around that time and came up with this."

With a series of keystrokes, Finch was able to bring up airport security surveillance from LAX. With one look, it was obvious for Reese to voice his partner's findings. "They were on the same flight."

"Yes, from Sydney to be precise. Robert Fischer was taking the body of his late father back to the States for the funeral."

"Curious place to be for an architectural student. Why make the flight from Paris to Sydney and then to LA?"

"Yes and I have tried to access the passenger's manifest but it has proven to be rather difficult."

"Nothing you can't hack, Finch."

"What little information I have gathered points to a Mr. Ayumu Saito whose recent purchase included an airline."

"Oh let me guess, both Ariadne and Fischer were on a Boeing 747 flight that Saito controlled, so what does this Saito gained from all of this?"

"Everything. If Robert Fischer truly decides to dissolve his late father's empire, and I am talking a multinational energy conglomerate here, all it takes is a well-positioned competitor to scoop up the pieces afterward."

"So how this connect with Ariadne?"

"Ah, remember the security system in Ms. Chase's loft? It is serviced by a security firm that caters to high-profile clienteles who want to be discrete such as government officials, foreign diplomats or high end business associates."

Reese was a smart man, it didn't take long for him to connect the dots, "Someone like Saito."

.poi

Sometimes Ariadne wondered what her birth parents had in mind when they decided to name her. Those who were familiar with their Greek mythology would know that Ariadne was the one who spun a red thread which helped Thesus find himself out of the labyrinth after killing the Minotaur. Depending who you talked to, some said that while Ariadne fell in love with Thesus, he did not return the affection and consequently left her.

Professor Miles' advice to her was not to fall for Thesus which in the grand scheme of things, he meant into the all-consuming life that was dream sharing. Creation without boundaries was something to behold but Ariadne had too much of a moral compass and therein lies the conundrum.

The familiar weight of her totem was a stark reminder that this was in fact reality, but there were moments when she felt that she was not in control of her skin. Her sleep was not restful; she saw water crashing against stained rocks and heard distant echoes of trains running on tracks. One did not need the expertise of Freud and Jung to discern that she was still haunted by her experiences in limbo. For someone who valued rational conversation to make sense of the world, she had limited resources to turn to in regards to all of this.

'There is Mr. Saito,' she thought. She knew that Miles somehow got word to the Japanese businessman that she was moving to New York; her current residences was a proof of that. It would take some strategic explaining of the tightly-secured loft if her coworkers ever came to visit.

But with the uncertainty of the Fischer estate, she mostly led a solitary work-sleep-eat schedule. She tried pouring all her energies into the project from Mr. Crane. He had called to schedule for a follow up meeting for tomorrow. For Aridane, it had been rather difficult to discern the personality of her latest client. Their phone exchanges lent little insight and their initial meeting only conveyed that Mr. Crane was a rather private man. To transform an empty space for someone who was essentially closed off to her, meant that the process was more painstaking than usual.

Mr. Crane's main criteria was this, "I often work from home, Ms. Chase, so I would like to feel that I am a participant, and not just a spectator in the city."

The space was located on Fifth Avenue with an uninterrupted view overlooking Central Park and Ariadne used that as a focal point and designed an office space with the city as the backdrop. She tried to garner inspiration from the inception team: Arthur was sharp lines and minimalistic contrasting Cobb's square shouldered and every-day man. Saito was contemporary with a flavour of Japanese tradition similar to Yusef who carried a more Eastern flair. And, while Eames was loose, textured and rich patterns, Fischer was slim-framed with an aura of melancholy.

Ariadne tried to infuse these personalities into the space but as she tried to reconcile her past life with her current one, she couldn't help the feeling that lines were about to be crossed and she would end up being caught in the middle.

_End of Chapter 3  
><em>


	5. Chapter 4

_The Untitled Project_

**Rating**: PG

**Disclaimer**: Inception and Person of Interest belong to their respective owners.

**Summary**: The Machine generates the next number for Ariadne which introduces Reese and Finch into a whole different level of crime. A crossover between Inception & Person of Interest.

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><p><em>Chapter 4: An Interlude<br>_

The day began with an announcement which every major news outlet hailed as the catalyst for change. After settling his late father's affair, Robert Fischer was going to address the public and to either dispel or confirm what current speculations were out there.

Ariadne was waiting at a lounge for her meeting with an associate of Mr. Crane. Her employer had called rather urgently and apologized for the inconvenience, "My associate has some valuable insight, Ms. Chase. He will come in my place."

So, she was sitting in the booth towards the back – the one closest to the bathroom and the rear end exit. Experience had taught her to be prepared to get up at a moment's notice. There were only a couple of patrons sitting closer to the front entrance since it was past the lunch hour, but Ariadne being restless the whole day, didn't mind being out of the office.

A cup of espresso had been placed in front of her, with her portfolio to one side. In the other, she held her totem, deriving a sense of calm through its familiar weight. Her eyes scanned the TV screens hanging off to the side and waited. The news segment had just recapped the timeline of the Fischer empire and currently, the anchorwoman was interviewing a financial analyst who was giving the Coles-note version on the implications of Fischer's decision.

Ariadne sighed and when she looked up to the seat across from hers, she realized with a start that there was a man sitting across from her. She tried to school her surprise when she addressed him "You must be the associate that Mr. Crane wanted me to meet."

There was an infinitesimal smile in response but before he could answer either way, they were interrupted by the news broadcast. Ariadne's focus was quickly diverted. Fischer came on the screen. If Ariadne was paying attention to the person sitting across from her, then she would have noticed the keen interest that was directed at her. But as such, Ariadne was asking the passing waiter to turn up the volume on the tv screen. Robert Fischer's voice came through the speakers as he addressed his audience. His announcement was succinct, "I believe that I have made the decision that my father would have chosen for me, so therefore, I am here to announce that I have dissolved my father's company in order to pave the way for my future."

The response and reaction were instantaneous. Cameras flashed and all the reporters scrambled to get a question in. At the lounge where Ariadne was, she felt an immediate rush; she was bursting with news but she had no one to share it with. She placed her totem on the table and watched it dropped with an expected thud. She repeated the motion twice, until she was interrupted by a voice.

"You'll find that this is real where you cannot change the outcome."

With another smile, he said, "Now lets get down to business. I believe that we have a mutual associate."

**.incpt**

They came to a mutual decision to switch tactics. The time for reconnaissance was over; they needed answers. Since time was of an essence, they would go straight to the source with the current intel. The premise was simple: isolate the subject and the extract the information.

But as the saying went – the best laid plans of mice and men often goes awry. The team definitely had not anticipated this distraction. A man in the suit came literally out of nowhere and tried to throw their plans to capture of the Architect.

There was an obvious struggle and the Suit was not easily dispose off. It took several men and a well placed taser to settle the business. A quick discussion led to the conclusion that that Suit was coming along for the ride and the boss would take care of the situation. All of this took place in the span of under three minutes and in a camera blindspot. It was as if nothing had happened.

In a undisclosed location, a bespectacled man was tapping the keys on his keyboard and searching through various cameras in the city. "Mr. Reese, do you copy? Mr. Reese?"

**.poi**

End of Chapter 4

* * *

><p><em>AN: <em>Now that I have a clear direction of this story in my mind, I will hurry with the updates. I promise the next one won't take a few months. Please continue reading.


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